BEFORE 79
i3
nated officially by that name, but by a title known to us only
in an abbreviated form, duumviri v. a. sacr. p. proc. This prob-
ably stands for duumviri viis, aedibits, sacris publicis procurandis,
‘ duumvirs in charge of the streets, the temples, and the public
religious festivals.’ The title of aedile seems to have been
avoided because it had been in use in the days of autonomy, and
the authorities thought it prudent to suppress everything that
would suggest the former state of independence. Nevertheless,
the word retained its place in ordinary speech, as is shown by its
use in the inscriptions painted on walls recommending candi-
dates for office; thence it finally forced its way back into the
official language. The duumvirs of every fifth year were called
quinquennial duumvirs, duumviri quinquennales, and assumed
functions corresponding with those of the censors at Rome;
they gave attention to matters of finance, and revised the lists
of decurions and of citizens.
All these officials were elected annually by popular vote.
The candidates offered themselves beforehand. If none came
forward, or there were too few, — for the city officials not only
received no salary, but were under obligation to make generous
contributions for public purposes, as theatrical representations,
games, and buildings, — the magistrate who presided at the
election named candidates for the vacancies; but each candi-
date so named had the right to nominate a second for the same
vacancy, the second in turn a third. The voting was by ballot;
each voter threw his voting tablet into the urn of his precinct.
No information has come down to us regarding the precincts
(curiae) into which the city must have been divided for electoral
purposes.
The election of a candidate was valid only in case he received
the vote of an absolute majority of the precincts. If the result
was indecisive for all or a part of the offices, the city council
chose an extraordinary official who bore the title of prefect with
judiciary authority, praefectus iuri dicundo. This prefect took
the place of the duumvirs, not only when an election was inde-
cisive, but also when vacancies arose in some other way, or
when peculiar conditions seemed to make it desirable to have
an officer of unusual powers, a kind of dictator; or finally, when
i3
nated officially by that name, but by a title known to us only
in an abbreviated form, duumviri v. a. sacr. p. proc. This prob-
ably stands for duumviri viis, aedibits, sacris publicis procurandis,
‘ duumvirs in charge of the streets, the temples, and the public
religious festivals.’ The title of aedile seems to have been
avoided because it had been in use in the days of autonomy, and
the authorities thought it prudent to suppress everything that
would suggest the former state of independence. Nevertheless,
the word retained its place in ordinary speech, as is shown by its
use in the inscriptions painted on walls recommending candi-
dates for office; thence it finally forced its way back into the
official language. The duumvirs of every fifth year were called
quinquennial duumvirs, duumviri quinquennales, and assumed
functions corresponding with those of the censors at Rome;
they gave attention to matters of finance, and revised the lists
of decurions and of citizens.
All these officials were elected annually by popular vote.
The candidates offered themselves beforehand. If none came
forward, or there were too few, — for the city officials not only
received no salary, but were under obligation to make generous
contributions for public purposes, as theatrical representations,
games, and buildings, — the magistrate who presided at the
election named candidates for the vacancies; but each candi-
date so named had the right to nominate a second for the same
vacancy, the second in turn a third. The voting was by ballot;
each voter threw his voting tablet into the urn of his precinct.
No information has come down to us regarding the precincts
(curiae) into which the city must have been divided for electoral
purposes.
The election of a candidate was valid only in case he received
the vote of an absolute majority of the precincts. If the result
was indecisive for all or a part of the offices, the city council
chose an extraordinary official who bore the title of prefect with
judiciary authority, praefectus iuri dicundo. This prefect took
the place of the duumvirs, not only when an election was inde-
cisive, but also when vacancies arose in some other way, or
when peculiar conditions seemed to make it desirable to have
an officer of unusual powers, a kind of dictator; or finally, when